SEV Biblia, Chapter 10:31
Y aconteci, que descendi un sacerdote por el mismo camino, y vindole, pas de lado.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Luke 10:31
Verse 31. And by chance] kata sugkurian properly means the coincidence of time and circumstance. At the time in which the poor Jew was half dead, through the wounds which he had received, a priest came where he was. So the priest's coming while the man was in that state is the coincidence marked out by the original words. Verses 31. - 32. Priest and Levite are mentioned here, partly because they were the most frequent travelers on this road, and partly to show that these were the persons who, from the nature of their office, were most obliged to perform works of mercy; and from whom a person in distress had a right to expect immediate succour and comfort; and their inhuman conduct here was a flat breach of the law, Deut. xxii. 1-4.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 31. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way , etc.] Who had been at Jerusalem, to take his turn in the courses, and was now returning to Jericho, where the stationary men were, to which he belonged: for it is said f356 , that the former prophets appointed twenty and four courses; and for every course there was a station at Jerusalem, of priests, and of Levites, and of Israelites; and when the time of the course came to go up, the priests and Levites went up to Jerusalem. The Rabbins teach, that there were twenty four courses in the land of Israel, and there were twelve at Jericho. And which is elsewhere related thus; the former prophets appointed four and twenty courses, and for every course there was a station at Jerusalem, of priests, of Levites, and of Israelites; the tradition is, that four and twenty thousand were the station from Jerusalem, and half a station from Jericho; though Jericho was able to furnish out a perfect station itself; but for the sake of dividing the glory to Jerusalem, it produced but half a station.
So that it is no wonder to hear of priests and Levites passing to and fro in this road. Nor was this a chance matter with respect to God, by whose providence all things are ordered, directed, and governed; nor any wonderful thing with respect to men, which fell out in an uncommon way, beyond expectation; the phrase only signifies, that so it came to pass: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side : when he saw him naked, and in such a bloody condition, he might take him for one really dead, and therefore crossed the way on purpose, lest he should any ways touch him, and be defiled by him, and so break the law, and incur the penalty of it, mentioned in ( Numbers 19:16) or to shun so horrible a sight; or rather, through hardness of heart, and want of compassion.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 25-37 - If we speak of eternal life, and the way to it, in a careless manner we take the name of God in vain. No one will ever love God and his neighbour with any measure of pure, spiritual love, who is not made partaker of converting grace. But the proud heart of man strives har against these convictions. Christ gave an instance of a poor Jew i distress, relieved by a good Samaritan. This poor man fell amon thieves, who left him about to die of his wounds. He was slighted by those who should have been his friends, and was cared for by stranger, a Samaritan, of the nation which the Jews most despised an detested, and would have no dealings with. It is lamentable to observ how selfishness governs all ranks; how many excuses men will make to avoid trouble or expense in relieving others. But the true Christia has the law of love written in his heart. The Spirit of Christ dwell in him; Christ's image is renewed in his soul. The parable is beautiful explanation of the law of loving our neighbour as ourselves without regard to nation, party, or any other distinction. It also set forth the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward sinful, miserabl men. We were like this poor, distressed traveller. Satan, our enemy has robbed us, and wounded us: such is the mischief sin has done us The blessed Jesus had compassion on us. The believer considers tha Jesus loved him, and gave his life for him, when an enemy and a rebel and having shown him mercy, he bids him go and do likewise. It is the duty of us all , in our places, and according to our ability, to succour, help, and relieve all that are in distress and necessity.
Greek Textus Receptus
κατα 2596 PREP συγκυριαν 4795 N-ASF δε 1161 CONJ ιερευς 2409 N-NSM τις 5100 X-NSM κατεβαινεν 2597 5707 V-IAI-3S εν 1722 PREP τη 3588 T-DSF οδω 3598 N-DSF εκεινη 1565 D-DSF και 2532 CONJ ιδων 1492 5631 V-2AAP-NSM αυτον 846 P-ASM αντιπαρηλθεν 492 5627 V-2AAI-3S
Vincent's NT Word Studies
31. By chance (kata sugkurian). Only here in New Testament. The word means, literally, a coincidence. By coincidence of circumstances. There came down. Imperfect, was going down, as Rev.Priest. The Talmudists said that there were almost as many priests at Jericho as at Jerusalem.
Passed by on the other side (antiparhlqen). The verb occurs only here and ver. 32.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
10:31 {By chance} (kata sugkurian). Here only in the N.T., meaning rather, "by way of coincidence." It is a rare word elsewhere and in late writers like Hippocrates. It is from the verb sugkurew, though sugkuresis is more common. {Was going down} (katebainen). Imperfect active as in verse #30. Passed by on the other side (antiparelqen). Second aorist active indicative of antiparercomai, a late double compound here (verses #31,32) only in the N.T., but in the papyri and late writers. It is the ingressive aorist (elqen), came alongside (para), and qen he stepped over to the opposite side (anti) of the road to avoid ceremonial contamination with a stranger. A vivid and powerful picture of the vice of Jewish ceremonial cleanliness at the cost of moral principle and duty. The Levite in verse #32 behaved precisely as the priest had done and for the same reason.
